Fog penetrating illumination means



Jan. 21, 1958 Filed Aug. 29, 1955 K. J. THELEN FOG PENETRATING ILLUMINATION MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Jan. 21, 1958 K. J. THELEN 2,820,383

FOG PENETRA'IING ILLUMINATION MEANS Filed Aug. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jffieim States ilnite My invention relates to fog penetrating illumination means.

An important object of my invention'is to provide an attachment for headlight units of vehicles whereby the same may be removably attached to said headlight units; said attachment being equipped with iris :means whichmay be adjustably opened and closed to increase or to decrease the lens opening in order to permit concentrated rays of light to emanate therethrough and thus provide a greater intensity of illumination for'penetrating fog or like conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide .headlight means equipped with iris means for producing theresults hereinabove specified.

A still further object of my invention is to provide headlight means equipped with adjustable iris means working in concert with conical contra-reflector means .so as to further intensify the beams of light emanating through the iris opening.

A still further object of my inventionis to vprovideheadlight means having reflector means and adjustable iris means working in concert with concave contra-reflector means in order to intensify the illumination emanating through the adjusted iris opening.

A still further object'of myinvent'ion is to provide headlight .means equipped with adjustable iris means and having a contra-reflector means of convert configuration so as to intensify the light emanating through the his opening.

A still further object of my invention is to provide ina headlight structure iris means of substantially segmental spherical or curved configuration so .as to complement the action of the reflector within the'headlight structure and permit beams oflight to reverberate between the ,polished inner reflector surface of the iris elements and the headlight reflector as well as the contra-reflector means so as to intensify and obtain themaximum light intensity emanating through the iris opening.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting the iris to open, partially closed, and any other intermediate adjusted position us'ingparticularly gear and pinion means for the purpose and operating the same through flexible shaft means attached-to theinstrument panel of a vehicle.

A still further object of ,my invention .is toprovide in a headlight equipped with the conventional parabolic reflector having a lens of any suitablesphericity, aiconcave iris reflector structure substantially spherically arcuate and adapted to operate in mating sphericity .with that of the said lens and having the interior surfaces of the elements composing the iris highly polishedso as to .act asa concave mirror or reflector complementing and intensifying the reflective properties of the headlight reflector in order .to intensify the illumination-emanating through'the adjusted iris opening.

A still further object of my invention is to providein a'headlighttparabolic reflector means operating in FCOHGEEI with spherical iris reflector means being furthercoinpleate mented by contra-reflector means with its axis located acoincidently with that of the headlight reflector means.

Other objects and ancillary features resident in my invention will become apparent from an examination'of the accompanying drawings, bearing further elucidation in-the ensuing description, wherein like symbols are used to designate like parts, and in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing :a seal beam headlight unit equipped with an attachment for intensifying the illumination resulting in illumination which will penetrate fog and tog-like conditions.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in a direction of arrows -2-.2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 depicting the ririsielc ments in their adjusted position, and :showing the minimum opening 'to be obtained when the iris .is adjusted :10 its smallest dimension.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 somewhatireduced in size showing two iris elements and the means of attaching the same articulately, indicatingsimultaneously the magnitude of travel thereof in order to obtain the :maximum opening as illustrated in Fig. 2, or the minimum :opening shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic or diagrammatic sectional view illustrating a headlamp and the spherical or curved iris structure complemented by aconcave contra-reflectorconcentric with the axis of the headlight-reflector.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 5 with the exception that the contra-reflector umeans'isof conical configuration.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 5 and .6 with the exception that the contra-reflector means is of convex configuratron.

Referring to the various views'my invention is, generally, designated 3, and it consists of an attachment which maybe secured to a seal beam headlamp 9,.having azparabolic or other suitable reflector element 14 provided with a bent flanged portion around its periphery designated 15 to which is secured the lens 15 by virtue of its flanged shoulder portion 16. The lens 1-5 is preferably imbedded in a suitable gasket of rubber or like material designated dl-so as to render the samerattle-proof.

The reflector 9 is provided with terminals .lll forsupply ing the electrical energy to the light filaments 11 and which are joined by the coiled light filament connection 13. The attachment 8 consists of an annular ssupp'ort section 20 having mounted therein the iris elements '21 which as illustrated are arcuately shaped and have inner efiective arc portions 31 of a radiusequivalent :to-that indicated-in Fig. 2 so that all .arcs will coincide in overlapping-relationship to provide the maximum openingfifi; Whereas, when the arcs 31 are brought to the position inclicated in Figs. 3 and 4 the minimum opening SZ-iscompositely formed of partial arc sections 34 and thus forming said minimum opening 32. The elements '21 :are -se-- cured to the rear port-ion 22 of the support 21b 'byt-m'eans of rivets peened over as indicated at23, the eiernentszl being also provided with motivating pins 24 which Joperate in the slots 25 of the annular member 23.

The annular member 28 is also provided with :a' toothed section 29 which meshes with the motivating pinion $257.,

and which is adapted to move .in the direction of the arrows indicated within an ambit 39, the pinion .27 being mounted in .an extended housing 26, and being ,peenedzto in the opening in the instrument panel -42, the kndb x Patented Jan. 21, 1958 being secured to the flexible shaft 41 provides motivation to the pinion 27.

The motivating shaft 35 is housed within a threaded bushing 37 held in place by a knurled nut 38 which holds a shoulder 38' of the sheath 40 thus holding the assembly firmly in place.

By manipulating the knob 46 clockwise or counterclockwise similar rotation is afforded the plate 28 which causes the individual iris elements 21 to move to open or closed positions depending on the direction of rotation, as particularly indicated in Figs. 1 to 4.

I The U-shaped holder 2! is also of substantially spherical formation in order to be compatible with the sphericity of the lens 15"and has'attached thereto transparent elements 17 and 18 forming the confines 19 within which the iris elements 21 function. Two ears and a clamping screw (structure not illustrated for clarity) permit removal or attachment of the iris assembly.

The iris elements 21 are shown of a thickness which is exaggerated in order to facilitate illustration thereof. Iris elements are usually made of metal about two or three thousandths of an inch thick, and in this particular instance they will be sufliciently flexible to permit motivation and adjustment compatibly and configuratively with the transparent elements 17 and 18 which are parallel to the lens 15 of the seal beam unit 9.

It should be noted that when these iris elements close the opening to the limits shown in Fig. 3, or if the opening is larger, the inner surfaces of the iris elements 21, being highly polished, act as a reflector working in concert with the reflector 14 in order to provide intensified illumination beaming through the opening 32 or any adjusted opening that it may be set to.

The three modifications illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a parabolic reflector 14 or similar reflector, found in a seal beam headlamp, the iris elements 21 are shown adjusted in Fig. 5 to provide an iris opening 57 through which the light will emanate. The inner surfaces 47 of the iris elements 21 are highly polished so as to render them reflective and endow them with reflective properties, whereas a contra-reflector about the axial portion of the headlight or parabolic reflector, in this case 56 is of concave configuration so that light coming from the point source, or element 11 will follow the path indicated by the rays 53, 54 and 55 ultimately coming through the opening. Direct rays will also come through as indicated at 65; thus it will be seen that greatly intensified illumination will emanate through the iris opening 57.

Fig. 6 shows another modification of my invention wherein the contra-reflector means is of conical configuration and the reflecting interior surface 51 will complement the reflecting action of the polished surfaces 47 of the iris elements 21 and the reflector 14 so that a ray of light emanating from the point 11 will assume travel along the path 48, subsequently being reflected in the direction 49, and ultimately following path 50 so as to emanate through the iris opening 52; whereas a light ray will also be reflected at 66 to assume the path 67 and also emanate through the reflector opening thus providing intensified illumination from the source of light 11 through the complementary action of the various reflecting surfaces hereinbefore mentioned.

Likewise in Fig. 7 the joint cooperation of the reflector surfaces 14, 47 and the convex contra-reflector surface 58 will cause a ray of light emanating from the sourceat 11 to assume the paths 59 and 68, as well as the paths 60, 61, and 62 emanating through the iris opening 63; the composite intensified illumination thus emanating from the iris opening 63 will be the maximum light obtainable from the source of illumination, and hence render it mosteflicie'n't for penetrating difficult, hazardous conditions such as fog and the like.

Although the invention disclosed in the drawings reveals an iris attachment for conventional headlights or seal beam headlamps, nevertheless the structure may beintegral with the headlamp affording to industry a product of manufacture of permanently assembled elements.

Although the drawings and the above specification disclose the best modes in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire to be in no way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in the further practical application of my invention many changes in the form and construction thereof may be made as circumstances require or experience suggests without departing from the spirit of the invention as expounded within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a headlamp provided with a parabolic reflector and a source of illumination located at the focal point of said parabolic reflector, a concave iris reflector of spherically arcuate configuration secured to said headlamp and positioned in opposed relationship to said parabolic reflector, said concave iris reflector being adjustableto .provide a range of openings about its axis to vary the intensity of light emanating through saidopenings, said reflectors being mounted with their focal axes in coincidental relationship so as to complement their reflective operation permitting beams of light to reverberate therebetween in order to propagate rays of light emanating through said range of openings resulting in greater light intensity.

2. In a headlamp provided with a parabolic reflector and a source of illumination located at the focal point of said parabolic reflector, a concave iris reflector of spherically arcuate configuration secured to said headlamp and positioned in opposed relationship to said parabolic reflector, said concave iris reflector being adjustable to provide a range of openings about its axis to vary the intensity of light emanating through said openings, said reflectors being mounted with their focal axes in coincidental relationship so as to complement their reflective operation permitting beams of light to reverberate therebetween in order to propagate rays of light emanating through said range of openings resulting in greater light intensity, and a contra-reflector symmetrically formed about an axis having its axis positioned coincidentally with said axes positioned in opposed relationship to said iris reflector and lying behind said source of illumination.

3. In a headlamp provided with a parabolic reflector and a source of illumination located at the focal point of said parabolic reflector, a concave iris reflector of spherically arcuate configuration secured to said headlamp and positioned in opposed relationship to said parabolic reflector, said concave iris reflector being adjustable to provide a range of openings about its axis to vary the intensity of light emanating through said openings, said reflectors being mounted with their focal axes in coincidental relationship so asto complement their reflective operation permitting beams of light to reverberate therebetween in order to propagate rays of light emanating through said range of openings resulting in greater light intensity, and remotely controlled manipulative means connected to said iris reflector for adjusting it to any opening within said range of openings.

4. In a headlamp provided with a parabolic reflector and a source of illumination located at the focal point of said parabolic, reflector, a concave iris reflector of spherically arcuateconfiguration secured to said headlamp and positioned in opposed relationship to said parabolic reflector, said concave iris reflector being adjustable to provide a range of openings about its axis to vary the intensity of light emanating through said openings, said reflectors being mounted with their focal axes in coincidental re-' lationship so as to complement their reflective. operation permitting beams of light to reverberate therebetween in order to propagate rays of light emanating through said a range of openings resulting in greater light intensity, and a contra-reflector symmetrically formed about an axis havmg its axis positioned coincidently with said :axes also being positioned in opposed relationship to said iris reflector and lying behind said source of illumination, and remotely controlled manipulative means connected to said iris reflector for adjusting it to any opening within said range of openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,693 Egnell Sept. 11, 1900 6 Corlett Mar. 17, Laurent Dec. 3, Ott Apr. 23,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 27, Great Britain M Nov. 21, France May 4, France Nov. 16, 

